The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-05-07

II don't know as / can spare my
girl" SAID mother, wistfully, hardly
liking to see me so wild to leave her.
Dear mother! l was only thinking how
the girls at school would be overpow-
cred, what airs 1 would assume, what
frills l could put on! l doubted if l
would speak to Dollie English at all. l
had called them "stuck-up," but l in
tended to be "stuck-up'' myself now,
and l found it very agreeable feel
ing.
/ was thinking of these things as we
battered down the deserted street, past
shops that looked as if they had about
one customer a year, and across door
ways that opened into great melancholy
court-yards.
At length, we turned in at a great
doorway, mounted three flights of
broad stone steps, and knocked at
little dark door. The padrona, or the
landlady, with whom my aunt had
lodged five years before, was ELUSIVE
in her welcome; l was secretly amused
with the caresses she showered on my
somewhat starchy relative, never hay
ing seen her kissed before. After q
final s,lute on each cheek, she held her
off at arms length, and exclaimed, in
English more minced than brokers:
"In re fifer year-a, not-a hat change"
Aunt Betsey broke from her grasp,
and said: 81 must attend to this boy.
Are the rooms ready?"
Isl, signora; ALA realty" and going
to the door, the padrona shrieked can
gelica!"
While we waited my aunt questioned
her young attendant, who chung to the
remaining bag as if therein was his
only security for his pay.
He bore my aunt's Italian without
flinching; and listened to the padrona's
English with admiring attention; Twas
compelled to find pretext for turning
my back, in order to hide a series of IT.
repressible grins.
We discovered that his name was
Filippo; that he had mother and Il
step-father; also a baby sister, who
looked like an angel in picture. His
stepfather, who was a scrittore, or
public writer, never did any work, and
beat him, and he hoped he would die
of apoplexy. The padrona demonstrate
ed, and Aunt Betsy was so shocked
that she forgot every word of Italian
she knew, and exhorted him earnestly
in English. 1t was all without effect;
his black eyes flashed, and he repeated
the remark with emphasis.
Angelica finally appearing, my aunt
gave Filippo ten cents and dismissed
him; he looked at the dirty bit of pa
per increduously, and asked the pa
drona if it was real. She said it was,
and a great deal too much for him,
looking at Aunt Betsey reproachfully
as she said it, for she discountenanced
extravaganza.
The next day she raised the rent.
Three weeks later we met FilippC
again. We were walking, guide-booB
in hand, through the interminable net
work of narrow streets in the neighbor.
hood of the tomb of Augusta-it il
now used as theater-and aunt Bet
sey was delivering a homily on the
vanity of human greatness, when W.
suddenly stumbled on our little frient
at his place Of business.
He had torn a gaudy theater-posteI
from the wall, and had arranged there
on two rows of cigar-stumps, He rec
ognized us Immediately, and rose whel
we stopped, bowling with courtly pc
likeness.
We asked him how the baby was, ant
then inquired after the health Of hi
step-father. Not muscle of his fac
quivered, but mischief looked from hi
eyes, as he raised his little BROW
thumb and pointed over his shoulde
at tall, handsome young fellow, VIII
was lounging against the wall near by
and regarding us with avaricious curl
os.ty.
In low voice, Filippo told us tina
his worthless relative had taken the tel
soldi we had paid him, and pounde,
! him into the bargain for objecting.
"lf the signora would make me
present." said the little rascal, twink
. ling, manage to shove it under til
) paper, for he is watching u.s."
: They think we are made of money,
said Aunt Betsey to me, "but he is sue
a cute little chap"-and she slipped
:. soppCr coin under the paper as sh
, stopped down, under pretence of exam
= ing his stock-in-trade.
! Before we reached the corner, W
| heard an angry, childish treble and
shrek, and looking back, saw poe
! Filippo picking up his cigar-ends froi